Bring It: P90X Day 18

Updated on December 29, 2011

P90X is an extreme workout program created by Tony Horton. When I first watched the infomercial on TV, I was sure I needed to add this to my workout collection. I spent what my husband considers a small fortune for another collection of exercise DVDs to start collecting dust... that is until now. I finally decided to pull it out and test the truth and I am taking you on my personal journey. I want to know, and I am sure there are others out there who want to know as well, if this works for the normal, every day, average person. I am that person. I am a wife, a mother of three, and life is hectic.

If you would like to start from the beginning of this series, please click here. If you want to read about my previous day with P90X, click here.

Feel free to leave your comments below - whether you just want to offer your support or share your stories. We would all love to hear from you.﻿

P90X is an extreme workout that is designed to get you into the best shape of your life. Are you ready to Bring it? | Source

Bring It

Today was Yoga day. I will admit, I normally like yoga, but the "X" version of yoga is pretty darn painful and it is pretty darn long. While I still enjoy the workout (especially the way I feel afterwards) I don't necessarily look forward to pushing the play button.

When I woke up this morning, it was no different. I woke up late (because my phone was too busy thinking instead of buzzing the alarm - stupid technology!) and that threw my whole schedule off. I contemplated just going back to bed until I had to wake the kids up. I really wanted that extra half hour of sleep.

But then I got thinking. Even if I needed to pause the workout at the halfway point to get the kids up, it was still better to start right away and get it out of the way. So that is what I did. I pushed play.

Either I am getting old... or I am getting more flexible

I was particularly tight... maybe it was because I had given it my all on every workout this entire week. Anybody that is familiar with Yoga knows it is going to stretch you out. It is inteaded to help your flexibility and strength. While it is fun... it is fun in a "twist your body in ways you never knew possible type way!"

With each and every move, I could feel my body cracking. As my body and my muscles released, I felt as if the tendons in my muscles were actually popping. It wasn't painful. Maybe this is the next step. And suddenly, I could twist and turn and bend further than I have been over the past few weeks.

I am guessing it takes about 3 weeks until your body finally gives in and says, "OK, I guess if you are going to keep doing this to me I am finally going to go along with you!"

It felt great - painful - but great! I am just glad I had my yoga blocks for assitance and my yoga mat to fall down onto at the end.

Yoga X is a great way to increase your flexibility and your strength. Anyone who thinks Yoga is easy, has never taken it to this extreme!

Thoughts....

What would you prefer?

Teach what you have learned

I would never encourage anybody to teach something they knew nothing about. That being said, I have been doing Yoga for several years. I have done P90X version of YogaX for the past three weeks (and one additional time when I first bought it.) I have also done many yoga poses on the Wii Fit. Not to mention, I have done several other Yoga workouts through various means. While I am not suggesting I am a trainer, I do have to say I know a little bit about what I am doing.

So, after I finished my yoga session today, a friend stopped by. She had asked me about my workout. I told her it was painful. She stated that "Yoga is fun!" I challenged her. Yoga is fun, but it isn't fun in an easy type way. So, I offered to let her do the Yoga workout with me the following week. It was a deal.

I am not really sure where majority of the time went today, but I am pretty sure it was walking and talking. We left the house around 10 and I didn't really get home until after 3. I wore a pedometer. I hit the button and erased the number of steps. We took a break in the middle, and that is when I learned something very valuable.

We stopped at her house to grab another walking buddy. We were planning on leaving immediately, but that didn't happen. We were waiting on the third walking buddy. So, I decided to show my friend some Yoga moves.

She may have learned something new, but by showing her the moves I was the one actually benefiting. By having to explain how to do the poses, I was forced to focus more on what I might have been slacking on. It kept me in check. I wanted to show her the correct way so I didn't slouch or cheat. My arms were straight, my squat was lower, and I was forced to explain proper positioning of feet and arms. If I did it wrong - she was going to learn wrong. Doing things the wrong way can lead to injury. So I wanted to give her a good start.

I never really thought my Yoga form was bad, but this made me much more aware of how it was. While it wasn't bad, it kept me aware of my own positioning and how straight my arms were. It also gave me an additional half hour or more of yoga for the day. She learned a little and I learned a lot. Not to mention, she is still on for next week, so I might have a workout buddy to torture (or be tortured with!)

The lesson for the day really comes down to something we have done since our school years. Sometimes the best way to learn something yourself is to teach it to someone else. So, if your form is a little shakey, put yourself in check. You can't slack if you are trying to teach!

Want More

If you are ready for a laugh, don't miss out on Day 19 by clicking here.

Comments 6 comments

I find teaching to be an excellent way to improve your own knowledge and form. I find that with anything in life! I have taught a few people yoga and pilates as well as a lot of information about nutrition and other aspects of having a healthy life. I guess I was the go to person when I worked at supervalu and I was constantly getting questions about how to be healthier. It even works for history. Although I love my history I do find that when Darrel asks me a question about something and I have to explain it to him I learn more about that topic than I previously knew... especially if I have to do a bit of research to remember all of the facts. You hit my topic right on the head today!! Teaching... what a perfect way to incorporate how important teaching can be to your life. It is enriching for you and those whom you teach. Good job again!

RealHousewife 5 years ago from St. Louis, MO

I wish I was able to take Yoga lessons from you! And great point....people should not try to teach things they don't know about. Especially exercise too or like those guys who work out some of the health stores - they try to sell things they aren't qualified to even talk about!

Exercise and diet are the proven methods for weight loss and that's about all that I have heard of that really works and keep the weight off. (I researched that too;) lol.

While you do your workout today - you should be singing that "Friday! Friday! Gotta get down on Friday:) lol

barbergirl28 5 years ago from Hemet, Ca Author

@Myth - Funny thing.... it actually incorporated right in with you going back to school yesterday! See, I had absolutely perfect timing. I have to say, I am pretty familiar with yoga and have done it enough that I am comfortable with what I am doing - as long as I can keep my balance that is - but when I had to explain it to someone else, it is like it registered in a different part of the brain. It also helped because she has a full lenght mirror. I was able to see myself and my form while I was showing her how to do it. It was definately a great motivater because I was the one torturing someone else, and not being tortured! :)

barbergirl28 5 years ago from Hemet, Ca Author

@Real - Funny that you say that cause Friday is the day I have to get down... down in a squat... oh the pain! LOL

I am a firm believer that if you haven't got the experience and the sufficient knowledge of how to do the exercise, teaching others is at there risk. I have done the gmy scene and have seen how some people work out and it is scary. I am just waiting for someones arm to fly across the room because of how they are swing a 100 pound dumb bell. But, teaching someone else is beneficial to really let you dive in so you learn even more. But, it is all at yoru own risk. And preferably, you should be pretty close to expert in it. I have loved exercise and nutrition for so many years now - almost to a point of obsession, that I have researched so much information. I almost thought of being a trainer, but because I know what to do, don't always follow it, I think it would be awkward to be training someone with fat rolls... lol

Danette Watt 5 years ago from Illinois

I skipped my workout this morning and boy do I feel guilty! So I applaud you for not pushing the snooze button. Yoga has so many benefits, not just the flexibility aspect of it but improving our balance as well. I really need to get back into practicing it on a regular basis because I used to and felt so good. Part of it is that I am such a on-the-go type of person, it is really hard for me to slow down, focus on breathing, etc.

And I agree, showing someone else how to do a pose or exercise forces us to be aware of the correct form which does benefit us.

barbergirl28 5 years ago from Hemet, Ca Author

@Danette - I feel guitly if I think about going back to bed instead of doing the workout. How crazy is that? You can sure tell that I am now in the habit of it.

I love yoga. Although ironically after doing the X version, I actually feel more shakey and unbalanced for a few hours... at least the Wii Fit always mentions that. But I can tell the benefits. I might actually start adding a few select yoga poses in on a daily basis because they feel so good!